The withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan could be slowed in view of the Taliban's military advances on the ground, the Pentagon said on Monday (June 21), stressing that this would not call into question the September 11 deadline.
"The plans could fluctuate and change if the situation changes,"
noted Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, questioned during a press briefing on the Taliban's advances, which are surrounding several large Afghan cities.
“If there are any changes to be made in the pace, scope or magnitude of withdrawal on any given day or week, we want to keep the flexibility to do so,”
he said.
Read also: Afghanistan: Kandahar trapped by the Taliban
But
"there are two things that have not changed,"
added the spokesperson.
"First, we will complete the full withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan except those that will remain to protect the diplomatic presence, and second, it will be done by early September, as ordered by the commander-in-chief. "
the President Joe Biden. The latter decided in April, against the advice of the military, to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan by the twentieth anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001. More than 50% of the withdrawal operations have already been completed. .
John Kirby indicated that the US military continued to provide air support to Afghan forces but stressed that this support would not go until the last day of US military presence in Afghanistan.
"As long as we have the capabilities in Afghanistan, we will continue to provide assistance to the Afghan forces, but when the withdrawal nears its end, those capabilities will decline and they will no longer be available,"
he said.
“As I speak to you, we are still providing some support, but that will change,”
he warned.
Read also: War in Afghanistan: Were the 2001 objectives really met?
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his government's chief negotiator in talks with the Taliban, Abdullah Abdullah, are expected at the White House on Friday.